Die Fantastischen Vier

Biography

Die Fantastischen Vier (German pronunciation: [diː fanˈtastɪʃən ˈfiːɐ̯], "The Fantastic Four"), often shortened to Fanta 4, is a German hip hop band from Stuttgart. The members are Michael Schmidt (Smudo), Andreas Rieke, Thomas Dürr, and Michi Beck. They were, together with Advanced Chemistry, one of the earliest German-language rap groups.

History

In the mid-1980s, Rieke and Schmidt formed the Terminal Team, which Dürr and Beck joined in 1989. Under the new name Die Fantastischen Vier they made German hip hop, or Deutschen Sprechgesang (German spoken song) as they called it, popular in Germany. Although there were German hip-hop artists prior to them (such as Advanced Chemistry from Heidelberg), it was Die Fantastischen Vier who registered the first chart hit with their 1992 single "Die da?!" (Her?!) from the album 4 gewinnt×4 gewinnt28 August 1992 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Vier gewinnt3:532Die da!?!4:113Hört euch den hier an1:324Saft4:355Dicker Pulli1:416Na gut3:027Einen noch0:338Es wird Regen geben3:369Nenn ihn Präsident2:1210Plattenspieler1:1811Hip Hop Musik4:3812Laß die Sonne rein4:0913Thomas und die Fraun3:1414Nonixnarretz0:4015Jaaa3:3516Reich1:3017Individuell aber schnell3:5218Arschloch13:11, hitting No. 2 in Germany and No. 1 in Austria and Switzerland.

After traveling to Los Angeles in the late 1980s, the group realized the lack of connection between the struggles of "the poor blacks in the United States and middle-class whites in Germany", and made a conscious effort to move away from the typical and cliché American gangsta rap. The group never got involved with gangsta rap clichés, reacting with tongue-in-cheek humor to verbal attacks of alleged German 'gangsta rappers'. In the albums following 4 gewinnt, the band matured and progressed to a more serious and philosophic style.
In addition to the group's works, Thomas D, Hausmarke, and Ypsilon also produced successful solo albums and the four had their own weekly show Die 4. Dimension×Die 4. Dimension8 November 1993 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Neues Land2:062Die 4. Dimension4:383Tag am Meer4:184Zu geil für diese Welt4:075Weiter weg0:546Schizophren5:027Ganz normal3:358Smudo schweift aus3:479Noch weiter weg1:0010Sieh dich im Spiegel an3:5811Laut reden nichts sagen3:3112Alles ist neu3:3413Ganz weit weg1:0514Mach dich frei3:2515Genug ist genug4:0416Weg0:05, named after their third album, which aired on the German pay TV channel Premiere in 1993 and 1994.
At the 1996 Popkomm in Cologne, Die Fantastischen Vier announced the establishment of their label, Four Music. Headquarters were in Stuttgart, but were later moved to Berlin-Kreuzberg.
Three years later, the group's seventh album 4:99 was released on their own label, with four singles from the album following. After the No. 2 hit "MfG", three singles were released at the same time, a first in German music business. Each one can be associated with one of the rappers: "Le Smou×Le Smou19 July 1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 8 tracks1Le Smou (Video version)4:002Le Smou (Showdown remix)4:473Le Smou (DJ Koze und Mario von Hacht remix)4:054Le Smou (Video instrumental)3:565Le Smou (Showdown instrumental)4:436Le Smou (DJ Koze und Mario von Hacht instrumental)4:057Le Smou (a cappella)4:358Le Smou (Video сlip Making Of)" (Smudo), "Michi Beck in Hell×Michi Beck in Hell19 July 1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Michi Beck in Hell (LP version)5:582Michi Beck in Hell (Thomilla's Genuine Draft remix)6:433Michi Beck in Hell (LP instrumental))5:164Michi Beck in Hell (Thomilla's Genuine Draft instrumental)6:435Michi Beck in Hell (a cappella)5:096Michi Beck In Hell (Video clip Making Of)" (Michi Beck), and "Buenos Dias Messias×Buenos Dias Messias19 July 1999 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 7 tracks1Buenos Dias Messias (video version)4:022Buenos Dias Messias (Tommy W. remix)4:203Buenos Dias Messias (Fuer eine handvoll Reis remix)8:254Buenos Dias Messias (LP instrumental)4:335Buenos Dias Messias (Tommy W. instrumental)4:206Buenos Dias Messias (a cappella)4:247Buenos Dias Messias (Video Clip Making Of)" (Thomas D).
In late September 2004, the group released the album Viel, the following tour being their most successful and best-attended to date.
In 2005, Fanta 4's first greatest-hits album was published. It includes all singles, as well as several other songs and rare footage from the group's early days, when they were still called Terminal Team and rapped in English.

On 7 April 2007, the number-one album Fornika×Fornika7 April 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Mehr nehmen3:582Ernten was wir säen4:143Einfach sein3:374Yeah Yeah Yeah3:475Nikki war nie weg4:036Fornika5:097Du mich auch3:008Mission Ypsilon5:249Ichisichisichisich4:1110Einsam und zurückgezogen2:1211Flüchtig5:1412Du und sie und wir3:2013Was bleibt5:41Disc 21Road to Fornika (documentation)1:00:162Ernten was wir sähen (video)4:23 was released, preceded by the single "Ernten was wir säen×Ernten was wir säen2 March 2007 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Ernten was wir säen (original version)4:152Ernten was wir säen (Schweinerock mix)8:123Ernten was wir säen (Smallboy remix)7:46" (Reap what we sow). "Ernten was wir säen" was released as a download for Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in December 2007 and was covered by rock band Oomph! in 2009.
Die Fantastischen Vier are also the German voices of the Penguins (Michael Beck as Skipper, Thomas D. as Kowalski, Andreas Rieke as Rico and Michael Bernd Schmidt as Private) in the Madagascar film series.
In 2010, Für dich immer noch Fanta Sie peaked again at number one of the German charts.
The 2014 release of the album Rekord×Rekord24 October 2014 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 13 tracks1253:092Heute3:463Und los3:584Lass sehen4:095Gegen jede Vernunft3:346Typisch ich3:287Wie geliebt4:168Single5:049Disco4:5910Der Mann den nichts bewegt5:0411Frieden wie denn4:5012Gott ist mein Zeuge5:0213Das Spiel ist aus3:34 marked the 25th anniversary of the band. It also topped the charts in Germany.
In 2018, the single "Zusammen×Zusammen23 March 2018 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Zusammen3:45", featuring Clueso, from the album Captain Fantastic×Captain Fantastic27 April 2018 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Captain Fantastic3:022Tunnel3:463Zusammen3:454Fantanamera4:145Moduland.Y2:116Hitisn3:587Watchmen5:158Alle (Skit)0:489Endzeitstimmung3:4110Hot4:3511Henson J.J. Barkley (Skit)1:1912Aller Anfang ist Yeah3:5113Das ist mein Ding3:1914Affen mit Waffen3:5215Hitisn Reprise2:1416Weitermachen4:05, was chosen as the official song for the 2018 FIFA World Cup by German public broadcaster Das Erste.

Members

Michael "Michi" Beck – vocals, DJ
Thomas Dürr ("Thomas D") – vocals
Michael "Smudo" Schmidt – vocals
Andreas "And.Ypsilon" Rieke – electronics, occasional vocals
Live members

Markus Kössler – bass
Florian Dauner – drums
Lillo Scrimali – keyboards
Roland Peil – percussion
Markus Birkle – guitars